Transforming the energy of electric currents.



No. 877,026. PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

E. WEINTRAUB. 1 TRANSPORMING THE ENERGY OF ELECTRIC GURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, 1903. RENEWED JtILY 13. 1907.

Witnesses: lnvenilom l ,/M, Ezechiel \A/eir'wgmaflb, W QM %yfl EZECHIELWEINTRAUB, OF SGHENEGTADY,

the following is a UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

NEW rock, AssIeNoR COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

TRANSFORHING THE ENERGY OF EIiEt'lTBIC CURBEN'IS.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, Eznonini; WEIN- TRAUB, a subject of the'Czar ofRussia, resid ing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Transformingthe Energy of l lectric Currents, of which s ecification.

M invention re ates to the transformation of e ectric currents and moreespecially to the transformation of direct current into pulsating oralternating current/ In carrying my invention into practice I make useof a vapor electric conductor which, in one of its many forms, mavconsist of an exhausted receptacle rovided with electrodes, one or moreof whic are of vaporizable material. Such a vapor conductor I utilize ina novel manner to produce-the current transformation mentioned. Insteadof stopping with the transformation of direct current into alternatingcurrent, I may continue the transformation by converting the alternatingcurrent into another alternating current of different voltage and then,by the use of a vapor rectifier, converting the alternating current backinto direct current. Thus by the series of operations mentioned, I mayaccomplish the transformation of direct current of one voltage intodirect current of a different volta e.

The novel features W ich characterize my invention I have pointed outwith particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself,however, will be best understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in whichFigure 1 represents the simplest form of my lnvention; Fig. 2 amodification; and

a Fig. 3 a distribution system embodying va- Specification of LettersPatent. Application filed July 23- 1903. Serial Io. 168.65B- RenewedJuly 13. 1907. Burial lio- 383|62l and the middle electrode 3. If

of current are produced I electrodes. The upper portion of thereceptacle is formed into a chamber 5 which serves to condense themercury vapor produced in the rece tacle duri ratus an d thus ng anexcessive amount of vapor in the'rece tacle, the presence of which wouldhave all; effect of increasing the resistance to flow of current in thereceptacle.

Electrical electrodes 2, 3 and 4 by leading-1n wires 6, 7 and 8 ofplatinum, nickel steel or the like. The direct current circuit connectedto this apparatus, conveys current thereto over the leads or mains 9 and10. One of these leads, as for exam le the lead 10, is connected to themiddle e ectrode 3 while the other lead 9 is connected by branchcircuits 11 and 12 operation ofthe appa- TOZGENERAL meme Eatented Jan.21,1908.

prevents-the accumulation of I I connection is made with the with therespective electrodes 2 and 4. If 7 now the receptacle 1 be ti ped orshaken so as to cause mercury to 50w between and temporarily join two ofthe adjacent bodies of mercury, then a current will follow which, whenthe mercury separates, will cause an arcto spr' Let it be sup osed thatan arc is thus firmed between t e electrode 2 the direction of currentsupply be such that the middle ectrode 3 is negative, or in other wordsa cathode, it will be found that after the arc has persisted for a shorttime it suddenly deserts the electrode 2 and, while still maintainingits connection with the cathode 3, jumps over to the electrode 4. Thenew are thus formed flows only momentarily to the electrode 4 andreturns again to the electrode 2. The are thus oscillates back and forthbetween the anodes or electrodes 2 and 4 and the cathode 3 with afrequency depending upon a variety of factors such as the expose areasof. the mercury electrodes, the confi ration of the receptacle and soforth. Ti: number of pulsat1ons or oscillationsby this arrangement mayvary from three to ten per second. As the current oscillates back andforth between the anodes 2 and 4 it will be evident that correspondingpulsations in the circuits 11 and 12. In these circuits therefore, inthe places indicated by the crosses, may be connected aply devices towhich it is desiredto supply p satin current. I

In or er t0 produce from the apparatus.

alternating current as distinguished from pulsating current, I mayutilize the arrange Fig. 1, is a cathode and to this end is connected tothe negative lead 16 extending from a direct current source of supply.The two remaining electrodes 13 and 15, which operate as anodes, areconnected, through suitable leading-in conductors 17 and 18 to mains 19and 20, from which alternating current is derived in a manner about tobe described. Across these mains two inductance coils 21 and 22 areconnected in series with each other with the junction 23 between themconnected to the remaining direct current supply main 24.

To start the apparatus let it be supposed that the electrodes 13 and 14are brought into engagement with each other and there separated. Thismay be done by tipping the receptacle so as to allow mercury to flowbetween the electrodes 13 and 14 and then, after effecting a momentaryelectrical connection, to separate. An arc is thus formed by currentfrom the direct current source supplied over the mains 24 and 16. Thepath of the current may be traced from the main 24 to the junction 23between the inductance .coils 21 and 22, whence, dividing, part passesthrough the inductance coil 22, and through the circuit 20, 19 to theelectrode 13, and the other part through the inductance coil 21 to thesame electrode. The combined current then passes through the arc, to thecathode 14 and to the other direct current main 16. As soon as the arcis started, its resistance, which is least at starting, increases untilit preponderates to a greater or less degree over that which would hepossessed by a freshly started are between the cathode 14 and the otheranode 15. The are then shifts from the anode 13 to the anode 15, thussubstituting a lower resistance path for the higher resistance path, butall the time maintains its connection with the cathode 14 from which itsprings. As this shifting takes place, the current from the main 24,dividing, and flowing as before through the inductance coils 21 and 22in opposite directions from the junction between them, passes to theanode 15. Part of the current flows through the inductance coil 22directly to this anode, while the other part, flowing through theinductance coil 21, passes through the circuit 19, 20, but in adirection the opposite of that taken by the previous wave of current tothe first anode 13. The are between the cathode 14 and the anode 15 isno sooner established than it shifts back to the first anode 13. The

emcee oscillation of the arc'lgbetween the anodes, which goes oncontinuously, thus causes an alternating current to flow in the circuit19, 20. The inductance coils 21 and 22 traversed alternately by thewaves in this circuit have the effect of preventing the waves' fromrising and falling in value abruptly, and thus causes a greater degreeof approximation to the sine form. In performing this function theinductance coils store energy as thecurrent rises invalue in theirwindings and restore it as the current falls. As the arc leaves oneanode a restoration of energy takes place and in turn is followed by astoring of energy as the arc reaches the other anode. It seems probabletherefore that the opposition to current variation due to the inductancecoils may be such as to cause the arcs between the cathode 14 and theanodes 13 and 15, instead of being intermittent, to present a conditionin which the currents of the arcs are wa'vy instead of interrupted frommovement to movement.

The shifting of the arcs, or of the value of the currents in the arcs,back and forth between one anode and the other is, according to mypresent understanding of the action, due partly to the fact, as beforementioned, that when a vapor arc starts, its path is of lower resistancethan is the case after the arc has been running. Thus it happens that assoon as the arc is started from one anode, as for example the anode 2 inFig. 1, its resistance so increases as to become greater than theresistance of the path between the oath ode 3 and the other anode 4. Theare then immediately shifts over to the anode 4 whereupon the samephenomenon is repeated and the arc shifts back to the anode 2, and soon. During this operation the arcs seem to spring from a bright spot onthe surface of the cathode which spot I have for convenience termed thecathode spot. I have found that the rate at which the arc shifts oroscillates between the anodes may be greatly increased by driving thecathode spot, or the are which emanates from the spot, byelectromagnetic means, back and forth so that it is first nearer to oneanode than to the other, then nearer to the latter than to the first,and so on. By this means the frequency of the alternating current whichmay be derived from the apparatus is very greatly raised. In Fig. 3 Ihave represented an apparatus for accomplishing this result, whichfigure'also represents various additional features of novelty. The vaporconductor is indicated at 25 and is or may be of substantially the sameform as that shown in Fig. 1 and, like the vapor conductor in Fig. 1, isprovided'with three mercury electrodes 26, 27 and 28. A direct currentsupply circuit and alternating current consumption or receiving circuitare connected to the vapor conductor in much the same manner asrepresented by the scheme of connections in Fig. 2 except, however, forthe interpolation of two electromagnets 29 and 30 located respectivel sothat the magnetic field produced by each extendsacross one of the spacesbetween the middle electrode or cathode 27 and the anodes 26, 28.

The direct current su ply mains are represented at 31 and 32. (Ine ofthese mains, in this case the main 31, is connected to the cathode 27.to the junction between the two inductance coils 33 and 34 which in turnare respectively connected to the windings of the electromagnets 29 and30. Theremaining terminal of the electromagnet 29, located at one sideof the cathode 27, is connected to the anode 28 located on the otherside of the cathode 27. In a similar manner the remaining terminal ofthe electromagnet 30, located at one side of the cathode 27, isconnected to the anode 26 on the opposite side of said cathode.

The alternatin current mains 35 and 36 extend respective from the leadswhich are connected to the outside terminals of the two inductance coils.33 and 34 as indicated. This alternating current circuit may supplyalternating current translating devices of any desired character asrepresented for example by the consumption circuit 37. The alternatingcurrent may be utilized in this circuit directly withoutfurther'transformation, although if desired the alternating cur rent maybe changed to any other desired voltage by means of stepup or step-downtransformers.

By stepping-up or stepping-down the voltage of the alternating currentderived, by the operation of the vapor conductor, from the directcurrent circuit, and then reconverting the alternating current of thenew voltage, by means of a vapor rectifier or recti fiers, into a directcurrent, I am enabled to ac- 'complish the conversion of direct currentof one voltage into direct current of another vol tage Without the useof apparatus with moving parts. As an illustration of this operation atransformer 38 of any desired ratio of transformation, in this case astep-up transformer, is connected with its primary to the alternatingcurrent mains 35 and 36, and with its sec ondary to a pair of leads 39and 40 extending to a vapor rectifier 41 of a form heretofore inventedby me and disclosed in detail in vari ous pending applications, as forexample in Serial No. 149,084 filed March 23rd, 1903. The rectifier 41includes an exhausted re ceptacle of the form indicated provided withmain electrodes 42, 43 and 44 and starting electrodes 45, 46. The mainelectrodes 43 and 44 together with the starting electrodes 45 and 46 areconnected to the supply mains 39 and 40 while the remaining electrode 42co6perating electrodes or The other main 32 is connected .or of adifferent voltage.

is connected to one main 47 of a direct cur rent consumption circuit,which in the present instance is represented as supplyii'ig translatingdevices of a variety of forms. The other main or lead 43 of theconsumption circuit is connected to the junction between two reactancecoils 49 and 50, which are in series across the mains 39 and 40. Afterthe rectifier is started by tipping or shaking it so as to bring thestarting electrodes into momentary contact with the main electrode 42,the resulting arcs are transferred to the main electrodes 43 and 44 byopening the switches 51 and 52, the arcs then playing between theseelectrodes and the common cathode 42. The alternating current from thetransformer 38 is thus rectified and then utilized in the consumptioncircuit 47, 48.

In the foregoing description I have set forth in some detail certainorganizations for converting direct current into pulsating oralternating current, and further for reconverting'the alternatingcurrent thus produced into direct current; either of the same It will beevident, however, to one skilled in the art, that various modificationsof my invention are possible without departing from the spirit thereof.Thus for example, a multiphase alter nating current maybe producedinstead of the single-phase current. Also, the magnets 29 and 30,instead of being excited as shown, may be excited from a separatealternating current source which thus acts as a frequency setter. I,therefore, do not wish my invention to be limited to the exact detailsshown and described.

Moreover, although in the foregoing specification I have set forth thattheory of operation of my invention, which at the present time seems tome to best explain the operations taking place, I do not hold myselfresponsible for the correctness of this theory, since it will be evidentthat the beneficial effects of my invention may be obtained withoutrecourse to any theory of operation.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is,

1. The combination of a source of direct current, a vapor conductor forconverting the direct current into alternating current, means fortransforming the alternating current into another alternating current ofdifferent voltage, and means for reconverting the last-named alternatingcurrent into di rect current.

2. The combination of a source of direct current, a vapor conductor forconverting the directcurrent into alternating current, means fortransforming the alternating current into another alternating current ofdifferent voltage, and a vapor rectifier for reconverting the last-namedalternating current into direct current.

3. The combination of a vapor conductor having three electrodes, adirect current circuit having one of its mains or leads connected to oneof said electrodes and its other main or lead to the other twoelectrodes.

4. The combination of a vapor comluctor, a plurality of electrodes oneof which is a cathode, and magnetic means for shifting the cathode s 0t.

5 The com ination of a vapor conductor, a plurality of electrodes one ofwhich is a cathode, and electromagnetic means for shifting the cathodespot. v

6. The combination of a source of direct current, a vapor conductor forconverting the direct current into alternating current, and a vaporrectifier for converting the alternating current into direct current.

7. In a vapor conductor, means for generating an arc in which thecurrent periodically varies, and means for increasing the fre uency ofthe periodic variations.

8. The combination of an exhausted envelop provided with electrodes oneat least 'of w iich is adapted to emit vapor, a source of directcurrent, and connections between said source and said electrodes suchthat when an arc is started in said envelop, it varies periodically incurrent value.

9. The combination of a plurality of anodes, a common cathode, a sourceof direct current connectedso as to produce an arcv springing from saidcathode and shifting from anode to anode, and means for accelerating theshifting of the are.

10. The combination of a plurality of anodes arranged with respect 'to acommon cathode so that an are springing from the cathode shifts insuccession from anode to anode, and means for accelerating the shiftingof said are.

11. The combination of a direct current supply circuit, a consumptioncircuit, and a vapor electric device for converting direct current fromsaid supply circuit into alternating current and supplying it to saidconsumption circuit.

12. The combination of a direct current supply circuit, a consumptioncircuit, a vapor electric device having a cathode and a plurality ofanodes, connections from the consul'nption circuit to the anodes, andconnections from the direct current circuit to said cathode and saidconsumption circuit.

13. In combination, a source of direct current, a consumption circuit, avapor electric apparatus having alternative paths for current, andconnections for such apparatus whereby direct current from said sourceis changed into pulsating or alternating current and fed to saidconsumption circuit.

14. The combination of a plurality of anodes, a common cathode, a sourceof direct current having one terminal connected to the cathode, andconnections for the other terminal aflording alternative paths betweensaid cathode and said anodes whereby the are from the cathode shaftsfrom anode to anode.

15. The combination of a plurality of anodes, a cathode forming the seatof arcs to said anodes, and a source of direct current connected to saidanodes and cathode so as to permit a shifting of the are from one anodeto another.

16. The combination of a plurality of anodes, a cathode forming the seatof arcs to said anodes, and a source of direct current connected to saidanodes and cathode so as to permit a shifting of the arc in successionfrom one anode to another.

17. The combination of a source of direct current, and a vapor electricdevice for converting direct current from said source into alternatingcurrent.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of July,1903.

EZECHIEL l/VEINTRAUB.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, MARGARET E. WOOLLEY.

